PRIVATE SCHOOLS GAMING SYSTEM

Parents bid to deluge state sector in VAT protest

- PAUL HUTCHEON

CAMPAIGNERS opposed to Labour's policy of charging VAT on private school fees are urging parents to register at state schools as a protest.

An Edinburgh action group says parents should fill in the forms even if they have no intention of taking up a place at a comprehensive.

Labour's George Foulkes hit out at the "disruptive" and "disgraceful" move which he said could harm state school pupils.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said parents of children at private schools should not be "gaming" the system to protest against Labour's policy.

Sarwar said: "I don't think we should be gaming in this way. I think we have to focus on the fact that we have an education system that is requiring resource, that we have to make some difficult decisions in government, and this is one decision we are making in order to attract more investment into our schools."

Labour intends to introduce VAT on school fees in their first budget if Keir Starmer becomes prime minister on July 4.

They say it would raise about £1.7billion, which would be ploughed into the state sector.